Game of thrones tour, Northern Ireland
Day 1 Welcome to Northern Ireland and the Country’s capital Belfast, where you will stay for your duration of your tour. We start this morning taking a tour of Belfast with some Game of Thrones locations en route, (quite different as your driver spent years as a soldier on the streets of the city during the troubles). Then a visit to the Titanic Experience, roughly a 3 hour visit, a must whilst in Belfast. Your driver lives locally so knows the good spots in the city, overnight Belfast.
Day 2 We head up the outstanding North Antrim Coast, visiting various Game of Thrones locations, such as Ballintoy Harbour which was the back drop for Theons return to the Iron Islands – and where the burning at the stakes was held on the beach, Portsteward Strand. Early scenes of the Dothraki on horse back were filmed here, also the coast of Dorne, Downhill beach, which was the shores of dragonstone’s. The Dark hedges, which was the Kings road and one of the most requested locations to visit, were planted in the 18th century to impress visitors by the Stuart family. Visit Cushendun Caves, where the red priestess Melisandre gave birth to the shadow creature. See Larrybane Quarry, where Renly Baratheons camp in the storm lands and where the tournament in which Brienne of Tarth is introduced. Time for lunch in the Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy, it also has a GoT themed room and the fantastic door of thrones No6 to 10 carved from the trees of the Dark Hedges.There’s a a private dining room set in the world of GoT complete with banners and its’ own replica Iron Thrones. We also visit Giants Causeway and Bushmills Distillery for a few samples then return to Belfast where you stay overnight.
Day 3 This morning we head down to Castle Ward, where in the opening scenes (season one), the 5 stark children and the bastard John Snow each adopt a Direwolf pup. Get to meet real Direwolfs Odin and Thor and the chance to dress up in the costumes for photo ops. Visit the castle where Bran falls from the window ledge in the winter fell courtyard and the cottage (aka) the Brothel of Winterfell. Then we drive to Downpatrick and the St Patrick trail, visiting the church and grave where it is believed that St Patrick is buried before returning to Belfast.
Day 4 This morning we visit a new distillery on the Ards Penninsula called Echlinville, where it became Northern Ireland’s first licensed distillery in over 125 years, distilling its 1st spirit in 2013. Then a leisurely run to ports ferry taking the ferry to Stranford Lough and a coastal run past Ardglass, following it round to Newcastle, and Tollymore Forest Park. This park was used for 4 main filming locations, the haunted forest north of the wall, the Wolfs wood near Winterfell, the Kings road near Castle Black, the forest near Dreadfoot and the Altavaddy Bridge where the Starks find the Direwolf pups. Overnight in Belfast
Day 5 This morning a drive to Gosford Castle and park. The castle has become known as the gloomy home of HouseTully. It was first seen in season 1 when Rob Stark executes Richard Karstark for treason and later used for season three’s gory Red Wedding in which several main characters were killed. Then a visit to Armagh to see the two main churches in the city situated on two hills, one Protestant and one Catholic. Return to Belfast,your final night. The tour ends after breakfast tmw.
From £950 per person sharing, based on a group of four guests.